Mold and method of removing the same from the cast material



L. CONNETT 1,879,891

CAST MATERIAL Sept. 27, 1932.

MOLD AND METHOD OF REMOVING THE SAME FROM THE Filed June 6. 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 mvENTpR ATTO RN EYJ CAST-MATERIAL L. CONNETT Sept. 21, 1932.

MOLD AND METHOD OF REMOVING THE SAME FROM THE Filed June 6-, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORV ATTO RN EY Patented Sept. 27, 1932 i v p UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE LEONARD common or ornornnnrr, OHIO MOLD AND METHOD or nn-Movme THE SAME rnonrnn CAST MATERIAL Application filedJune 6, 1930. Serial No. 459,448.

This invention relates to soap molding scribed operations. The present invention equipment and is particularly directed to a proposes to totally dispense with manual soap'mold for initially mol ing or setting a handling ofthe frame or mold with the exlarge crude block or cake of soap and to the ception of minor operations incident to tripdevice for stripping the mold from the block ping a latching mechanism and opening one 55 of soap. In soap forming operations the end of the mold. soap, after it has been stirred and beaten, is n pursuance of the above object it is a poured into a mold to solidify. These molds further objective of this invention to provide for initially settingthe soap arerelatively an apparatus for stripping the mold from large for setting blocks or cakes approximatsuccessive blocks of soap upon respective pal 60 ing 1,500 pounds in weight. These large lets or truck platforms as they are succesblocks of soap are permitted to set within the sively moved through the apparatus. To molds which are supported upon pallets or this end it is provided that the mold, having truck platforms so that after the molds surbeen stripped froma given block of soap rounding the same are removed, the pallets and the block of soap, supported on its pal- 65 or platforms support the blocks of soap until et or truck, removed from the vicinity of the further time elapses or operations are perapparatus, the mold is maintained suspendformed upon them relative to the formation ed until an empty pallet or platform is placed of the small finished bar of soap. beneath it and is thereafter lowered and It has been common practice to provide a deposited on the pallet whereupon simple mold of collapsible design. After the soap manual operations completely set up the mold is firmly set 1n the form of a block within for a succeeding casting operation. the mold, the sides of the mold are removed It is a further object in connection with by the workmen. The respective sides and this invention to provide that the stripping ends of the structure are detachable at each operation for removing the mold from about corner and the-respective sides and ends rethe large block of soap is highly efficiently moved respectively laterally or en'dwise from accomplished due to" the action of the stripping means in initially breaking the mold It follows that considerable time is consides away from the block of soap before the sumed 1n stripping or removing this form of mold elevating action. It is, therefore, also mold where each side and end must be hanprovided that great lifting power is not needled separately. Furthermore, the labor ened in the stripping operation.

tailedis unusually heavysince the sides of t is another object of this invention to the mold for settingablock of soap weighing accomplish these stripping operations 35 1.500 pounds are necessarily heavy and only through the medium of power operated lift removed with the expenditures of a great devices, which devices are capable of sustaindeal of energy on he part ofthe workmen. ing t 1e empty mold until an unloaded pallet After the mold is torn down to clear the or truck is placed beneath the same. block of soap, it is of course necessary to ret is another object of this'invention to assemble the same for the purpose of another provide a soap mold which may be moved molding operation and the workmen are then to amply clear the block of soap for removal put to the same hard labor in setting up the of the block from the mold without separamold or frame upon another platform or tion of the parts, and in which the parts are 45 Therefore, the broad fundamental object therefore, requires no care on the part of the or a given soap setting operation andto fur- 'It is another object of this invention to hermore totally eliminate the excessive hard provide, an improved method of opening a r 1o! abor necessary to accomplish the above demold and stripping the samefrom about a block of molded material wherein the mold apparatus, mold and truck reference is had opening operation is exceedingly simple and to the drawings. The cylinders of the rethe mold lifting operation for removing t ie spective devices constituting the hoisting and mold from the support is accomplished by a stripping apparatus are attached in space 5 lifting pressure less than the weight of the relation to the floor of the factory. These solidified material within the mold thereby c *linders are elongated in form extending eliminating any possibility of disturbing the substantially the length ofthe truck or mold block of material from its position upon the whichis moved between them; The .plungers pallet upon which it is to rest for a subseor pistons 12 of the cylinders are also of elon- 10 quent step in the process. 1 gated. form and have inwardly extending Other objects and certain advantages will ledges along their upper ends for insuring be more fully apparent from the description engagement under the projections or studs of the accompanying drawings, in which: of the mold.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the in- The pistons ma. be of any form within 1 vention illustrating a truck and mold disthe cylinders provided their upper ends afosed .avithin the hoisting apparatus, the :fordthe proper length for engagement with mold ilflt-Cl18S OP8DCl and the apparatus in fth'e studs of the mold. It will be understood connection with the mold just prior to-the that the pistonsmay be actuated -by-any-delifting operation for tilting and stripping sirable means. In the presents nstancea 2 the-mold from the block of sea hydraulicor pneumatic means is illustrated Figure 2 is a sectional view takenonline consisting of a line of piping 13 extending -2.-.2, Figure 1,.detailing the studs extending up-th-rough thefioor intotheside ofeacheylfrom the sides o" the moldv furnishing the ind'er and' communicating with the-loweren :lift connection or contact points for elevatofthe'b'oreof'thecylinder.

- ing the mold and also illustrating the latch- The support for the :mold is illustrated in .ing means for .securing theswinging end of the form of a truck 14, the platform 15 .of the mold in closedposition. which supports a pallet for the .block ,of soap Figure ;31is a sectional view taken on line and constitutes the bottom for the 1'I10ld..

13..-'3,'Figure 2,sfurther detailing the mold and The truck includes the platform .15 mount- 30 truck relative to the lifting apparatus and ed on longitudinal bolsters 16i0n-axles;1,7 showing theclamps, securingtlie mold to the 17 one-toward each end ofthebolsters suptruck platform in tripped position. ported upon wheels 18:48 at their respec- Figure l is a fragmentary sectional. view ;tive ends. The platfornilhasa.raisedportion itakenihorizontallyiof the disconnectible corthereon formed by a rectangular .slab conner and swinging endof the mold illustratstituting the pallet 19 .of lesser dimension ,ing aimodified, form of latch. than the rectangular platform and secured Generally described, the lifting apparatus thereto so that an abutment is provided by comprises-spaced devices including cylinders the edges of the slab or pallet-against which and lifting'plungers. The means for operatthe sides ofwthe moldare engage The suringithe pluiigers may be of any sorcz'manua face of the platform, therefore, extends .be-

mechanical, pneumatic, or hydraulic. The neath the-mold for sustaining the same.

track or platform is moved between-the re- The mold comprises a :pair ofsides 20, 21

spective devices and the mold having the soand a pair of ends 22, 23 forminga rectangu- 'lidiiie'd :block of .soap therein includes latlar molding space when set up. Those wall .445 .erally extending projections which are then elements of the mold are formed of plate disposed in the path of movement of the steel. The sides are reenforced by :meanso plungers. The mold has one end hinged at longitudinally extending angle iron strips one .sideedge and its opposite edge latched 124. The end plate 22 is 'permanently fixed to "tillQrOPPOSltB side. V in position between the sides and abuts the Initially after placement of the mold beend edge of the slab supporting the block. 2 --tween the devices the latches are sprung an This end plate is secured :between the sides the sides are :pried away from the soap, the by meansof draw bolts or ltie rods 25 extendend then being swung into alignment with ing between the respective sides. For the one of ,the sides sothat the block of soap can purpose of this attachment, the end plate be drawn frombetweenthe devices and out has angle iron strips 26 secured along thexi theopenend of-the mold. The liftingplungvertical edges thereof on the outside. The eraengagethelateralprojections of the mold extending fiangesof these stripsa uttmgthe andielevate the entire mold after it has been side walls of the mold are traversed by the initially opened. This lifting movement tie rods. The tie rods are secured by means stripsthe 'moldfromthe block of soap and of handles, 27 screw threaded on the ends T the ;operator is then able'to draw the platthereof andiabutting the outer face of a side. form or truck having the block of soap am These tie rods bind-the one en of the mold ingthereon through the open end of-the mold. together. Due to .the use of the tie rods, For-a clear understanding and specific dehowever, there is some flexibility permitte scription of the construction of the entire lift so that the opposite end of the mold may be spread without difficulty although if more flexibility is needed the handles maybe loosened.

The opposite end wall 23 of the mold "is :hingedat one vertical edge and latchedat the'other. For the purpose of the hinge, an a'ngleiron strip 28is secured along the outer verticalend edge margin of a side wall 21. This strip has hinge lugs 2929 extending "from its outward flange. Each of these lugs supports one end of a respective hinge bar pins 31.

also has an angle iron strip 32 extending along the same. The ends of the reenforcing or hinge bars of the door or swmgmg end of the mold have semicircular links 33jpivotally attached thereto., The outer ends of the links carry latches 34 fulcrumed thereon and having slightly angled ends. The'connection of the links to the latches is at the angular turn of the same.

' mold and the pointed inner ends 35 of the latches are inserted within the vertical angle iron strips. Thereupon, the handles of the latches are swung in against the side of the mold, (see Figure 2) this drawing the sides of the mold against the swinging end wall and binding the same in position with its outer face flush with the vertical edges of the side walls.

It will be apparent from Fig. 3 that the lift devices are sufliciently spaced apart to clear the sides of the mold for permitting,

some manually accomplished lateral displacement or spreading of the sides from about the molded block of soap.

For the purpose of securing the mold to the platform of the truck, clamping or latching devices 3636 are provided, one at each I side of the mold; Each of these devices is pivoted to a lower angle iron bar 24 on the "respective sides byv means of abracket 37 The lower end of the device includes ahook portion engageable under the platform moving into a slot 38 in the platform side edge. A shoe 39 on the under side of the platform provides a firm bearing for the hook. The

fengagement of the hook under the platform firmly clamps the mold in place onthe platform. The upper end of each device is extendedto provide a lever or operating end. As the truck'is moved between the releasing devices it is provided that the latching devices 36 are automatically released or unhooked in order that the mold may be-removed from the truck platform at a subsequent time.

This release of'the latching devices is accom- "plished by means of inclinedtrip blocks 40 secured to theinner faces of the respective cylinders 10toward that end into which the truck is initially moved. These blocks have their inclined faces extending inwardly from v the truck entry end and are disposed at the of the clamps thereby swinging the same inwardly and tripping the clamps as they are proper elevation for engaging the lever ends carried by the truckin engagement along the inclined surfaces.

Each of the sides has two studs 41, 42 afas the truck is moved between the lifting devices, these studs will be properly disposed to move clear of the plunger when it is in its lowered position.

Tofacilitate the stripping operation the upper surfaces 43 of the plungers are in-' clined to provide high points toward theforward ends thereof or toward the latched end of the mold and slightly lower points toward the rear. Furthermore, to definitely stop and position the mold as moved between the lifting devices, the plungers are provided with shoulders 44 toward their forward ends, which shoulders are adapted to be abutted by the forward studs 41 as the platform truck and mold are moved between the de vices.

As the lifting plungers are elevated, it will be apparent that the forward studs 41 are engaged first and the lifting efiect takes place primarily at theforward end of the mold.

This rocks the mold sides on the studs or trunnions 41 and the rear end 22 on its lower edge thereby moving the upper edge of the rear end of the mold away from the block of soap and initially stripping the rear end of the mold from the block of soap. At the same time the sides of the mold are swung transversely of the sides of the block of soap thus breaking any remaining adherence between the sides of the mold and the block of soap by pressure exerted by the lifting plungers is generally around one thousand pounds and is always less than the-weight .of'the block of soap sothat the block of soap can at no time be raised from the platform.

A modified form of end'wall23 and latching means is illustrated in Figure 4. The" wall in this instance consists of a steel plate having lengths of strap iron 46 extending around its outer edge margin. Abutment strips 47 of strapiiron are attached on the aforesaid straps and extend out to overhang" the ends of the mold side'sand then-vertical angle ironlpieces 28, 32.v This wall ismounted on hinges l8;secured;to the verticalangle iron strip 28 of-the side wall 21'. The hinge connection or attachment means for the door .isinthe form of bars-49 extending across its face and attached thereto by means of clips :50, the ends of the bars being connected to the hinges. The opposite ends ofthe bars extend beyond the side of the mold and are turned at right angles along the side'of the vmold as at 51.

Discs 52 are eccentrically pivoted to the angled ends 51 of the bars and are positioned, when the end wall is in closed position, to be ;swung into contact with both the inner walls 'of'the vertical angle iron 32 of the wall 20.

These discs are swung on their pivots by means of levers 53 socketed radially in the discs. The discs have a segmental notch 54 out out so as to clearthe extending flange 55 of the vertical angle iron 32'as the end wall is swung into closed position.

It will'be understood that the two point frictional engagement of each disc with the flanges of the angle iron when the operating levers are swung against the side of the mold securely binds the end wall in position, the end wall fitting between the sides andhaving its overhanging strips 47 abutting the ends and the vertical angle iron strips 28, 32 as heretofore described.

The operation of the devices herein described is as follows. The soap is poured into the fully closed mold and is permitted -.to set within the mold fora period sufiicicnt :to firmly solidifythe soap. This mold being disposed upon the platform which constitutes thebottom for the mold is moved between the lifting devices of the mold stripping apparatus until the forward trunnions engage the abutment shoulders of the plungersn The clamps or latches securing the mold to the platform have been released during entry of the platform between the lifting devices.

Thereupon the operator releases the end wall clasps or latches and swings the end wall of the mold into alignment with the side to which it is hinged. The sides are then pried away from theblock of soap. h

After these manual operations the hoists or lifting devices are simultaneously oper-- ated to lift the entire mold from the truck. The swinging action is imparted in the mold as previously describedfor initially breaking or stripping'the mold from the block of soap. After the mold is lift-ed the extent of upward travel of the plungers, the truck is pulled from the forward end of the apparatus and the block supported thereon passes from between the cleared sides and out the forward :end of .the'mold and is moved away for sub-.

sequent operations. 7

V The mold held suspended'upon the pistons is afterwards lowered upon an unloaded said platform,'hoisting devices mounted in spaced relationso as to vpermit vthe-movement -tons,the.sides of-saidmold having extensions 1truck'andthesides are bounditogether-about the bottom of the mold or thepallet =.on .the

truck by means of the clasps at the forward end. Thereupon the truck :is moved out through the rearzend of ,the apparatus, the

clamps 36 -set t0.secure the mold to the truck,

and the apparatus is ready for operation upon a succeeding loaded or filled mold.

The foregoing operations obviously require extremely little labor. TManual lifting operations are totally eliminated and the independent handling of the separate sides is abolished. The-mold is always in connected condition sothat-each mold is an independent fixed together; V i

Having described my invention, I claim LA mold stripping apparatus, comprising, a platform, a mold frame :mounted on therebetween of the mold and -platform,s'each ofsaidhoisting-devices includingacylinder and a piston, means for elevating said ,pis-

engageable. by said pistons whereby the mold frame may beelevated and stripped from the cast block within the same, and-onerof .the ends of themold movableto clear the end of the mold whereby the platformandiblockiof J5 soap may be drawn endwise outofthe .mold.

2. A mold stripping apparatus, comprising, a platform, a mold frame mounted .on said platform, hoisting devices mounted 'in spaced relation so as .to permitothe movement therebetween f the mold and platform, means onsaid mold engaged by said'ho'isting devices whereby the mold frame may be elevated and stripped from the .cast block within the same, and one of the ends :of the the end of the mold whereby the-platform and block of soap may bedrawnendwise out of the mold. V

3. In a mold apparatus, .a platform support constituting a bottom for the mold, a mold frame mounted on said platform, the corners of said mold permanently joined with the exception of one corner, means for detachably connecting said latter v corner whereby an end of the mold :may befswung clear and thesides of the mold spread, and hoisting devices for lifting and stripping said mold from the molded material.

4. In a mold apparatus, a platform constituting a bottom for a mold, .amoldframe mounted on said platform, the corners of said mold permanently joined with the exception of one corner, means for detachably connecting said latter corner whereby ,an

end of the mold may be swung clear [and the sides of the mold spread, and Ehoisting devices for lifting and stripping said mold from the cast material, said hoistingldevices initially, engaging the-opened end-of the mold unit, the walls of which are permanently afmold having a hingedconnection for clearing for rocking the mold on its closed end lower I edge.

5. In a device of the class described, a platform constituting the bottom of a mold, a mold frame mounted on said platform, said mold frame detachably joined at one corner, means for locking said corner, lifting devices including cylinders and pistons of elongated form extending substantially the length of the sides of said mold, a pair of studs extending from each side of the mold in the same plane, one of each pair on each side disposed toward the respective ends of the sides, the engaging upper surface of the pistons inclined, the high ends thereof being disposed toward the detachable end of the mold where by the opened end of the mold is elevated first, and the entire mold is eventually elevated by means of the lifting pistons for stripping the mold from the molded'material.

6. The combination of a mold, a platform support constituting the bottom for said mold, and hoisting devices, said hoisting devices spaced apart for permitting the insertion and the passage of the mold therebetween, and means on said mold engageable by said hoisting devices whereby the mold may be elevated from the platform and supported by the hoisting devices for disposition on a next succeeding support inserted therebeneath.

7. In combination, a mold and spaced hoisting devices, between which hoisting devices said mold is adapted to be moved, said mold including side walls, end walls and a bottom, clamps at each side of said mold securing said sides to the bottom, and elements engaged by said clamps as the mold is moved between said hoisting devices for tripping and releasing said clamps. V

8. In a mold construction, a support, a pallet of lesser dimension than the support fixed to its upper surface, mold sides and ends having their lower edges abutting said pallet and supported on said support, one end of said mold hinged to a side, a link pivoted to the swinging edge of said end, a lever fulcrumedon the outer end of said link, an angle iron strip disposed along the adjacent vertical edge of the side, said lever having a point adapted to be engaged in the inner corner of the angle iron strip whereby the outer end of the lever may be swung toward the side of the mold for drawing the hinged end into closed position.

9. In a mold construction, side walls, end

walls, one end wall hinged to a side wall, a latch member pivotally connected to the swinging edge of the end wall, an angle iron strip disposed along the vertical adjacent edge of the side wall of the mold, and means for swinging said latch element to engage the inner sides of the angle iron strip whereby the hinged end wall maybe locked in closed position.

10. The method of stripping and removing a mold supported on a platform from about the molded material, comprising, opening one end of the mold, spreading the side Walls at the open end, raising the mold initially at its open end to rock the same on its closed end lower edge, elevating the entire mold, and thereafter drawing the molded material through the open end whereupon an unloaded support may be placed under the mold. i

11. A method of stripping a mold from about a molded blockv of material, comprising, initially opening one end of the mold and wedging the sides away from the block of material and thereafter hoisting the mold by means of a lifting pressure less than the weight of the block of material cast in the mold. M

12. A method of stripping a mold from about a cast block of material, consisting of,

opening one end of the mold, spreading the sides of the mold from theblock, elevating the open end of the mold first so as to rock the mold on its rear edge and individually strip the rear end wall from the block, and thereafter to completely elevate the entire mold from the support upon which the block rests.

13. A method of stripping a mold from about a molded supported blockof material, comprising, opening the mold'and thereafter hoisting the mold from the support by means of a lifting pressure less than the weight of the block of material cast in the mold.

14. The combination of a mold, a platform support constituting the bottom for said mold, and hoisting devices, said hoisting devices spaced apart for permitting the insertion and the passage of the mold therebetween, means on said mold engageable by by its position between the hoisting devices is definitely determined. In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name.

LEONARD CONNETT. 

